Changing to Win
by choco-cara-latte
Summary: Rikkaidai, a school that only allows the winners to survive. Victorious and powerful is now only for the boys. When they thought that their time was nearing, fate changes it all. CH2: New Team-Mates
1. Game 1

**Author****'****s ****Notes:  
><strong>Uh, I don't know what to say other than...I FREAKING SUCK AT THE FIRST CHAPTER! -shot- No, true fact; I have a hard time starting new fan-fictions. This one is...written several of times, over and over again. D: I'm trying my best, not turn this fic into the typical 'Mary-Sue-of-TeniPuri-fic' c: Hope you guys could help me out with some tips! :D

Anyway, I don't own Prince of Tennis but the Girls team's members, so there will be some modifications going on if I did own TeniPuri ;D -shot- Ow. Besides, more girls will be added if I own TeniPuri, which I don't. -shot twice- Ow, ow!

* * *

><p>The morning starts off quietly in Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku. Classes will be starting in the next hour as there were a few early-birds who had decided to come to school early today. Students exchanged jokes, rumors and gossips, giggling at the ones that amuses them. There were some of them who were asking for their classmates' homework. All of these came to a halt when a high-pitch shriek echoes throughout the campus ground. Surprisingly, the sudden shrieking came from the tennis courts, where the girls team were practicing.<p>

Or at least, where the three famous female players were.

Students might have not expected that a loud, high-pitch screech had came from the tennis courts. Especially when their players are well-known poker-faces. Looks like it was merely an on-court-traits after all.

"This cannot be happening! Please tell me that this isn't happening!" a dark brown-haired female exclaims, throwing her head up and gripping her hair at both side of her head. Her blue eyes reflect terror and panic, something that the vice-captain of Rikkaidai Girls Team rarely shows. "D-D-D-DISSOLVING? DISSOLVING OUR TEAM?"

"That's what the principal said," said a shorter female in front of her. "I'm sorry to break the news out to you, Nanase, Yuuka, but it looks like most female clubs are gaining more attentions than ours."

"Why can't you just...say that this school is known for their tennis team, Mami?" Hayashi Nanase exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air with panic. "Surely enough there would be a student or two who would want to join the club this year!"

"That's what I said!" Saito Mami said, with her hands on her hips. "But...if I ask for another chance, that would make us pleading for our third second-chance."

"Please, Mami, I really don't want the team to be dissolved!"

"I don't want our team to be dissolved either, but face it," a silent-looking purple-head girl said. "Ever-since we lost five of our best players, other female teams from other schools had been winning the Kanto Tournaments three times in a row now. How much time do we have until we're dissolved?"

With a sigh, the captain told them that they had one week to pack all of their things, and by next week, the club will officially be closed, forever. Itou Yuuka and Nanase exchanges worried looks. They had been in the same team and group for over years now. Now, it was going to end. They would have to throw tennis out of their lives, forever.

"Let's just...change into our uniforms and just head to class, OK?"

Although she had tried her best to hide her tone, Yuuka and Nanase knew well that deep down inside, Mami was having a breakdown. She was the team's captain after all, and if a team falls out and is dissolved, the one whom felt more than hurt was the captain, their leader.

-x-x-x-

Yuuka slowly inhales and sighs out loudly. Her lavender eyes may look the same, but no one except her knew what emotion she felt that moment. If it weren't because of her, she thought, they would have won after two defeats in the Nationals. The purple-haired girl was deep in her thoughts that she didn't realize her classmate taking his seat beside her.

"Itou-san."

Lavender clashes with dark purple. A small smile crept on her lips. "Oh, good morning, Yukimura-kun."

"I'm really sorry about your team," the boys team's captain said, with a sympathy smile. Her facial expression turns confused, how on Earth did he knew? As Yukimura took notice of her confused expression, he laughs a little. "Hayashi made it obvious enough that you were going to be dissolved."

"And I kept wondering why she was our vice-captain," the lavender-eyed female said. "When she's often frantic and tense at situations like this. Sometimes I kept wishing that she would be more like Sanada-kun."

"I'm pretty sure that it was because her devotion for Saito-san that had made her to be vice-captain."

"Now that you mention it...it was."

-x-x-x-

"Saito-san." Looking up from her desk, Mami's blue eyes clash with a pair of large, hazel ones. "I'm sorry about the team, Saito-san."

"Nah, it's O.K., Kudo-chan," she laughs, trying to hide her disappointment. Damn Nanase and her loud mouth. She needs to note to herself to bring strong duct tapes with her to school, in order to keep Nanase's mouth shut.

"So, what are you doing to do next?" the red-head genius in front of her asks. "I mean, after the team gets dissolved next week."

"Honestly, I don't know, Marui-kun," the sandy-haired captain said, scribbling a few notes on her notebook. "Maybe, focus on the dance club even more."

"You know how to dance?" She nods. "For how long?"

"Over seven years now."

"Saito-san, Kudo-san, Marui-kun," their Science teacher's voice made them to freeze in their spot. "Is there something that you want to share with us?"

"No, sensei." The three of them said in unison. No, either of them wanted detention, especially Marui. Because if he was late for practice because of detentions, a certain stoic vice-captain's iron-slap would be landing on his face.

-x-x-x-

Meanwhile, in class 3-I, Nanase couldn't even focus on her current and most best subject, Japanese. It was just wrong, so wrong. Even her Brazilian classmate had made less mistakes than she did today. Usually, it was him who often makes a lot of mistakes than she does.

"Hayashi-san, is it O.K. if I ask?" a black-haired female asks, as the brunette raises her head up. She could still feel the pain from banging her forehead on the table, surely enough there would be a mark of it there.

"Um...I rarely see you making a lot of mistakes than Jackal-kun in Japanese class," the spectacled female said. "You even had a lot of mistakes than I do."

Nanase groans, and buries her face with her arms. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Mouri-san."

"It's about your team, isn't it?" the Brazilian male asks. Looking up, the brunette raises an eyebrow, asking if she had made it to look too obvious. Both Mouri Suzume and Jackal turn towards each other, before nodding at the same time. Cue to her to sigh and hit her forehead on the table again.

"I really don't know what to do after the team will be dissolved, you two," she groans, gripping and yanking her bangs. "Tennis is all I had been in love with, next to my family and kendo of course!"

"If I were you," the bespectacled purple-eyed female said, pushing her angular-shaped glasses up. "I suggest that you focus a lot more on kendo."

"And be with that freaking brat?" the vice-captain asks, through gritted teeth as her bright blue eyes flashes anger within them. "No way in hell will I ever be near her!"

"I don't get it why do you hate her," Jackal states. "You're devoted to Saito-san, and yet you hate her sister to no end."

Nanase scoffs, turning away. No matter what, she will never give her respects and agreement towards her best friend's little sister. Even if she was her family, no way Nanase will allow her to be acknowledge more than Mami acknowledge her.

"You know," the black-haired female said, turning away from the chatting group. "I would suggest Saito-buchou something that my old school used to do for their tennis team."

Now, this is something that perks the brunette's interest completely. "Care to share, Suzume-chan?~"

"Only if you stop using that creepy, sickly sweet tone of yours when pleading." The said female grimaces. "It doesn't suit you, at all."

-x-x-x-

Finally, their last morning class was over. Mami exhales, and felt her stomach growling for food. Getting up for her seat, she thinks of what to eat today. The melon bread looks tasty, but she probably won't be full enough. Maybe getting a dessert like a pudding would defiantly make her full enough to go through the evening.

Her thoughts on food was immediately interrupted when a shadow had loom over her. When her blue eyes look up, she nearly freaked out when she saw Nanase in mid-air. "MAMI~!"

She thanked God that she had quick reflexes, and avoids the girl from crushing her. Nanase had landed flat on her stomach as her captain merely stood there, twitching. "Mami, I have an idea to save the club!"

Still twitching and shaking with annoyance, the sandy-haired female asks, "Could you please greet me in a more normal and lady-like way, Nanase? People around us are thinking that we're in some kind of same-sex relationship, also known as Y-U-R-I!"

"I don't mind being in a relationship with you, Mami~!" In a flash, the brunette was rubbing her cheeks against Mami's. Other students were giving them weird stares and whispers emerged. Groaning, the captain tries to shove the taller girl off her. If this continues, students might think she was interested in the same sex as the female captain was.

"I wish for a straight relationship with a guy when the time comes, thank you very much!"

"You can be pan-sexual!"

"I don't even wish to be one!"

"Mami," When the said female, who was still trying to ram her vice-captain off her, turn towards Yuuka, she was giving her a puzzled look. Coughing, the purple-haired girl asks, "Are...you busy at the moment?"

"It's **NOT** what you think it is, Yuuka, help me for the love of tennis!" Sighing, the other female helps her captain to shove the strange female, who she was positive of posing as her vice-captain, off her. "Thank you."

"Now, what is it that you two wanted to discuss with me?" the sandy-haired captain asks, as the brunette quickly stood up and dusts her uniform. "Usually, it would be tennis club matters."

"It is about the club. We have an idea to-!" Both Yuuka and Nanase had said that in unison. Looking at each other, the two girls had smiles creeping on their faces. Mami somehow felt that as if the temperature one mile around them had dropped ten units.

"OK...that was just plainly creepy; what's the idea then?"

In unison, the two girls whisper the same idea to their captain. Once they were finish, Mami gave them both relief and glad glances.

"Now, why didn't I think of that before?" she asks, snaking an arm each at both of her friends' necks. "This is why I love being around with you guys. Where on Earth did you get that idea from?"

Surprisingly, the answer will be another surprise for Mami.

"You'll find out soon!" they said, as the two girls gave each other a wink. Giving each other a glance, wide grins spread across their facial features.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" they said in unison. "Oh yes, I do."

They did not care about the people around them, and those who are passing them whispering on how they were as if in Synchronized Mode. In a flash, they made their way towards the school's main office. Nanase and Yuuka turn towards each other with smiles still on their faces, before giving themselves a high-five. Look like they won't be ending their early tennis 'careers' after all.

* * *

><p><em>I hope that wasn't too bad XD That's merely half of the girls team that I'm introducing :) I'll introduce more in later chapters :D I seriously thought I was writing angst XD<em>

_If you're confused on the names, I have profiles of them on my own profile! XD With pictures so you guys could know how they look like :D_

_I'll see you guys in the next chapter! :D_


	2. Game 2

**Author****'****s**** Notes:  
><strong>I seriously hope I didn't rush too quickly with the introduction |D I've rewrote this piece of crap for multiple of times XD; I submitted it as chapter 2 before, but then...can we just say 'BLEHRGH!' for once? :D And I've been typing this chapter slowly too, since I get distracted with a lot of things and write this to the fullest at early in the mornings! |D Like...4 a.m. or something.

This chapter is sort of boring a bit, so if you want to ignore it, feel free to do so~

I don't own Prince of Tennis in any way :D

* * *

><p>Mami had woke up earlier that morning, and had arrived to the campus ground an hour earlier than usual. It wasn't because of practice, it wasn't because of any school meetings; it was today that she and her two best-friends will put up the try-out forms for their club. The sandy-haired female jogs towards the main entrance of the school, meeting up with both Nanase and Yuuka.<p>

"Have you guys bought the forms?" The other two girls nod at their captain's question. "How many did you guys printed out?"

"Let's say, around ten." The captain was puzzled. That's a lot of papers. "I'll stick six try-out forms at the hallways where first, second and third years students' classrooms are, while Hayashi would stick the other four forms on notice-boards."

"Didn't you said you had a plan to gain more members with the try outs?" the blue-eyed female quickly questions. A devilish smirk appears on the purple-haired female's lips, as she raises one of the try-out forms with a chuckle. Squinting her eyes, a grin soon cracks on Mami's face as she laughs softly.

"Oh, Yuuka, you are a genius!"

"Thank you~"

-x-x-x-

As the hours passed by, more students arrived at school. The hallways were noisy as girls pushed through the crowds that had formed in front of every sign-up forms. Their hands writing their names on the paper as they quickly exchanged whispers, squeals and thoughts amongst them.

"If we ever get in the tennis team, we'll probably be able to see Marui-sama up-close!"

"Kya~! Maybe we could play doubles with Yagyuu-kun too!"

"That would be awesome!"

Suzume's dark purple eyes were focused on the sign-up forms as she stood at a place far from the 'dangerous-looking' crowd. Her mind was debating, should she, or should she not join? The debate of her mind came to an end when the crowd starts to lessen. Fishing a pen out of her blazer's pocket, she writes down her name with a simple smile on.

"Mouri-san."

"Ah, good morning, Jackal-kun!" The black-haired female greets her Brazilian classmate. The tall male's eyes turn towards the sign-up form. "You're signing up for the try outs?"

"Yeah, I don't want Hayashi-san to be in her 'pits of despair' again if her team gets dissolved," Suzume replies with a laugh as the two of them head to their classroom. "Or that her grades drops down drastically because of her despair."

"That's...quite nice of you," She thought that he was trying to make her feel better about doing a favor for her friend, or was it just her imagination?

-x-x-x-

"Yuuka-san," Looking up from her novel, Yuuka's lavender clashes with a pair of familiar purple eyes. "Yes, Yukimura-kun?"

"Am I interrupting you?" With a light laugh, she shakes her head with a whisper 'No'. "I wanted to inform you that since the courts will be used for your try-outs this evening, we might as well help you out with the try outs."

"Really?" She didn't wanted to sound too overexcited, hoping too much that the well-known boys team will help them. "It's really no big deal if-!"

"Saito-san agreed with it," the blue-haired male cuts her off. "And since she is your captain, it would be impossible to disagree with her, right?"

The lavender-eyed female laughs a little. Yukimura must've know them too much. "It would be much more impossible if you have an overly-devoted vice-captain, Yukimura-kun."

-x-x-x-

"Oi, Saito! Heard that you just got kicked out of the kendo team!" Laughter fills through the air of the already-noisy classroom of 2-D as a brunette walks towards her seat, stopping when she heard her name being called. "Wait till Hayashi-senpai hears this! She'll be overly thrill!"

"She will be...if Saito didn't wrote her name in that try-out form earlier!"

"Saito's signing up for the tennis team? She must've suck in every sport she plays!"

Saito Koyuki said nothing as wild laughter ring into her ears. Her pace quickens as she quickly sits down on her seat. The laughing starts to fade away when someone else enters the classroom. Whispers were exchanged as the said two persons whom just entered the classroom walk to their seats.

"Saito-san." Koyuki's brown eyes look up, as they met a pair of lime green eyes. She merely smiles at her American classmate. "Yes, Abe-san?"

"I'm sorry to hear what happened with the kendo club," Abe Rachel said, tucking a lock of burnt sienna-colored hair behind her ear. "Sensei should have see what a good student you were."

"It's alright, the club probably doesn't want an invalid player to fill in the empty spaces anyway."

"You could always try other clubs, if..."

"If I can't get in the tennis team?" Rachel shot up her head. She didn't meant to said that, nor to make her feel bad about herself. What she expected was an angry reply from her classmate didn't appear, instead a gentle smile forms on her lips.

"Abe-san, you'll never know until you try." The American student didn't quite understood what her classmate was saying. Sure, she was the captain's sister, she probably had trainings with the older girl but with her skills focusing on kendo and acrobatic, how is she going to make through the try-outs that evening?

"Have you ever see those stunts-with-swords in samurai movies?"

...

Now that had made her completely speechless.

-x-x-x-

"Sorry that I'm late," Yuuka apologizes, entering the student council room. Yukimura had asked Yagyuu if they could use it for a small meeting, and eventually, he agreed to. "Sensei said that he needed my help and I was rushing and-!"

"No need to continue," Mami quickly said, holding up both of her hands. "The good thing is that you're here, and that's all that matters. Now, we have thirty minutes before lunch break ends. I wanted to discuss the amount of students that signed up for the try-outs."

As Mami said this, she unfurls the try-out sheets as it drops down onto the floor. The purple-haired female felt her lavender eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets as she felt light-headed and losing the strength to stand up. The ground seems to be non-existent to her now.

"M-Mami, I need to sit down." When the captain nods, Yuuka lands into a chair that Nanase had slide below her just in time. "You have to be joking! How many people sign-up for this!"

"How many places did you put in each form?" Yukimura questions.

"Twenty per form."

"Then it's more than fifty people if three pages are filled in." Nanase states, holding her friend's collar. She swore she saw Yuuka's spirit escaping from her mouth for a moment, sweat-dropping at the sight. "Mami, can we get to the point please?"

"Right," the captain nods. "Since Yukimura had agreed that his team will help us out, I suggest that we have an elimination match-session."

"Elimination match is enough, Mami." The brunette vice-captain said. "Besides, it's to eliminate those who aren't worthy on the team and those who are will stay. It's needed right now, that is of course, if Mami wants to fill the club with a lot of girls who can't even hit a ball straight."

"But, there's a catch, Nanase," the sandy-haired female said, raising her index finger up. "I'm not going to based on how many scores they got _**if**_ they play dirty, but...I'm going to look for players who had the potential to be in this team."

"That was merely an 'if' right?" One look from Mami, that resembles both a hungry tiger and lion had made Nanase's skin to crawl. "May I say something?"

"Ah, Yuuka, finally out of your trance?" Nanase snickers as the said purple-haired female gave her a death stare, before giving one to her captain. "Do you want to hear what I have in mind?"

"Sorry," the sandy-haired female laughs softly, trying her best not to burst out laughing hysterically. "Please continue."

"Why don't we set judges who aren't so familiar with the players?" the tall female suggests, leaning on one side as her fingers played with her hair-bobble. "I do think it would be fair enough."

"That..." A smile slowly forms on Nanase's lips as she cups her chin, nodding. "That's a great idea, Yuuka."

-x-x-x-

As the last bell rings deafeningly throughout Rikkaidai's campus, female students starts to fill in front of the tennis clubroom. As they were busy chit-chatting and whispering amongst themselves, they did not know that three pairs of eyes were watching them from the inside of the clubroom.

"That's...a lot of people."

"Nanase, make sure you have a chair near you in case Yuuka faints again."

"Right!"

"I will not faint again, Saito-buchou." As they took notice of a certain burnt-sienna-haired female approaching and telling all of the students there to collect the uniforms in the changing room. The three third-years gave each other glances.

"Do you think Abe-san could handle more than fifty people?"

"If she can handle a head-aching second-year, handling a large crowd might not be a problem for her...right?"

Both Yuuka and Nanase couldn't stop themselves from falling back-wards. This is going to be a long day.

"Saito Koyuki."

The said brunette looks up at the manager before walking towards her. Rachel hands her a piece of note and said, "This is your locker's number and key. Saito-buchou told me to have your locker near hers."

With a simple nod, Koyuki takes the key and note in her hands as the manager whispers, "Good luck."

"Thanks." As she parts away, she could her remarks tossed at her. Her mind kept telling her to ignore them and their remarks.

"That girl, she makes me sick."

"You think you're the only one? I can't believe that she's in the same class with me, two years straight!"

"Saito Koyuki, teacher's pet and soon, captain's pet."

"See? Saito often gets the best, and will always since she's the captain's sister."

"Yeah, no doubt."

Sinister laughing starts to rings in her ears as she quicken her pace to the girls changing room. She quickly took notice of the number of her locker, which is number 18 and heads towards it. The brown-eyed female quickly took notice of the contents inside it; her racquet, a can of tennis balls and the girls team's uniform. There was a note attached to the uniform. Picking it up, the short brunette reads it quietly.

'_From your captain: The sweat-pants is only required when you're not a Regular or reserved for a game._

_From your sister: Do your best. I'm watching, even if I'm not judging.'_

"Lucky being the captain's sister, isn't it?" Koyuki nearly jumped up when she heard a whisper beside her. Turning to her right, she took notice of a blue-haired female smiling at her.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't meant to scare you there," she said, giggling. "I'm Uesugi Amaya."

"Nice to meet you, Uesugi-senpai."

"So," As Amaya opens her locker, the light gray-eyed female places her school bag in it and began to change. "I didn't think that the captain's sister would have to be in try-outs too. I thought that you joined the team the same time she did."

"Nah," the brunette took her uniform off too as she explains, "I was in the kendo team before."

"Before? Why did you stopped?" the third-year asks, closing her locker and sat down to tie her shoes.

"It's not that I stopped," exclaims the short-haired brunette. "It's because...sensei wanted me off the team."

"Eh?" Amaya was confused. According to what she heard, Saito Koyuki isn't just someone who is just well-known for her tennis-team-captain sister, but also her winning first place and leading the kendo teams from school competitions to regional to nationals. "Why did you stopped? You were the team's number one!"

"I didn't stopped, Uesugi-senpai." As the brown-eyed female closes her locker, she flashes her senior a small smile. "It's because of an injury."

"And we seriously hope that injury won't give us trouble," Nanase said, as her blue eyes clashed with Koyuki's brown orbs. A look of uneasiness spread across both of their faces.

"Hey there, Hayashi-san." Amaya greets as she swings her racquet onto her shoulder. Passing behind the shortest girl, she ruffles her brown-colored hair and flashes her a wink. "See you on the courts, Yuki-chan. Don't mind if I call you that!"

A chuckle escapes from the said female's lips as she straights her messy hair back down. The taller vice-captain turns away from the other third-year towards the smaller girl in front of her.

"Listen here, Saito." It was a long-time question why the vice-captain often calls her sister by her first name, and her by their family name. "Don't go thinking that just because you're the sister of the captain, you could get away with anything and win this try-out."

"Frankly speaking, Hayashi-senpai, I don't." Nanase didn't expect her to talk back to her in a blunt and sharp tone. "All I know is that I've lived with merely one principle in my life; if I want something, I need to get it myself...Now, will you excuse me..."

As Koyuki passes the vice-captain, she knew that the taller and older female was giving her a death glare. For a long time, she wonders why Nanase had been so harsh on her for no reasons. Most of her seniors, who were mainly from the tennis team, was fine with Koyuki being around her sister, but not Nanase.

"Something on your mind?" A voice snaps her back to reality as the second-year's brown eyes met a pair of lavender ones. Shaking her head slightly, she didn't felt like telling the purple-hared female her thoughts. Although she didn't, Yuuka knew what her captain's sister was thinking about.

"Don't worry, Koyuki, in time, Nanase will warm up to you," As worries rushes through her thoughts, she frowns her brows and whispers, "Hopefully."

The brunette merely laughs at her senior's attempt on assuring her. "I highly doubt that, Itou-senpai, she hates me. No doubt."

"That aside," the tall female said, looking at her clipboard as she raises one paper up. "You're at Court Number Two. Just find Yukimura-san and Sanada-san and you're there."

"S-Sanada-fukubuchou?" Yuuka can't help it but laughs. Maybe assigning her to the court where the scary-looking vice-captain is isn't such a good idea coming from her own captain, and sister. "I could change your courts to another one if you want to, but I'll have to-!"

"No, no! It's O.K.!" Koyuki quickly holds up her hands, waving them around. "I'll be fine on Court Number Two!"

With that, she quickly runs off faster than a hungry cheetah. If it's Sanada Genichirou watching her during the try-outs, she's going to need to work to the fullest in order to get in the team.

* * *

><p>This chapter is pretty much boring, but hopefully the next one will be a lot more interesting to you guys! ^^;<p>

And no, I haven't introduce most of my OCs here yet. Two more OCs haven't been introduced properly yet :D

See you in the next chapter, everyone! * O * /


	3. Game 3

**Author****'****s**** Notes:  
><strong>I've been developing headaches due to my brother and cousins causing ruckus around the house (I swear those kids are driving me to the wall!) and constant stomachaches but I was determine to write this!

No tennis matches yet because I still have lots to learn and observe. Maybe some other times? :D Sorry to disappoint you guys, I really am! ;v; o(_ _)o

I don't own Prince of Tennis in any way :D

* * *

><p>Both captains had assigned the boys to their respective courts, after a brief talk about choosing their players and such. Needless to say, majority of the girls whom had signed up were worst than worst that even an elementary school-kid could beat them in just a simple match. Nanase's predictions were right; they were merely signing up just to get close with the boys team. Nearly everyone were letting their hairs down as judges, it was easier than answering their strong-point-subject test.<p>

"Che, I knew that they were a bunch of weaklings," the brunette vice-captain exclaims, walking over to her captain and the purple-haired Data Tennis player. "Look at the list! It dropped from more than twenty people to less than twenty people right after I merely beat the ass off that Hamasaki Tsubaki chick."

"We didn't hold back on our abilities when we judged them with real Singles matches," Mami said, adjusting her headband. "We're used to let it all flow out. Holding back isn't just our thing. Though Yuuka, you did a great job on going easy with the first years though."

The said female merely shrugs her shoulders. "Guess it's my big-sister-instincts that made me to do that. I'm just not used to torturing juniors."

"Right," the vice-captain rolls her eyes sarcastically. "That's the reason why we lost to Shitenhoji last year. Because you couldn't overcome your in-!"

"I didn't expect Shitenhoji's Hosokawa Ren to be that strong, Nanase," Yuuka states firmly. "I realized that it wasn't worth it if I just stopped relying on my instincts at that moment. The result is going to be the same anyway."

"I heard that they had another new rookie in the team," the captain exclaims. "From what people in Shitenhoji said, she's even stronger than Hosokawa Ren. Perhaps rivaling Tooyama Kintaroh."

"Are we just going to sit here and talk or are we going to get our asses off the bench and continue with the try-outs?"

"Sometimes, you're defiantly the world's impatient vice-captain, Nanase."

-x-

"Yuuka-san," Removing the moist towel from her face, she realizes a tall figure had blocked the sunray from hitting her face. "Yanagi-kun?"

"Here's the current numbers of participants on our side of the courts." With a sigh, the purple-haired female felt a huge pang of disappointment every-time the male regulars gave her the current numbers of participants on their court.

"Don't tell me, the number dropped."

"Yes."

"From 18 people to..."

"Around 7 people."

"For God's sake, for once, I just wish I believed in miracles sometimes!"

"I think a miracle is here, Itou-san. You haven't had a match with me and Miyamoto-san." Turning to the sideway, Amaya stood there with her usual carefree smile. Her right hand held her racquet. Looking at the list, the purple-haired female noticed that it was the Data Master's classmate's turn.

"Itou-san, you look a little bit pale," Amaya frowns, worrying about the girl. "Why don't you have a rest and maybe, I'll have a Singles match with Miyamoto instead?"

"N-no, that's-!"

"It's fine if you wanted that way, Uesugi-san," the Data Master's statement had made Yuuka to turn towards him with a flabbergasted look. "Itou-san, Saito-san had told me about your condition. Please have some rest as of now."

Sighing, she couldn't do anything but gave in. Although she didn't show it, her head was pounding painfully and she felt a little bit on the dizzy side. Throughout Amaya's game against another third-year female, Yuuka couldn't help it but watch the match carefully. While her opponent was drove by fear and anger, the blue-haired female played her game smoothly and patiently, no emotions was displayed on her façade. It all stopped when a loud smash of the tennis ball was heard.

"Game and match, Uesugi, 5 games to 2!"

-x-

Meanwhile, on Court No.3, Yagyuu and Niou watches carefully as a blue-haired female, whose hair was tied up with a ribbon in a bun with pleats around it, volleys the ball. Her eyes of dark purple focuses on the ball.

"Nee, Yagyuu, I didn't think that Takenaka could play tennis this well. I've always thought that baking was the only strong point that she had."

"Niou-kun."

"Hey, Trickster!" Takenaka Emiko exclaims, as she lobs the ball towards her opponent. "I heard that, you know? Cakes aren't just my main point!"

Jumping up, she smashes the ball and ends the game. "Game and set, Takenaka, 4 games to 1!"

Turning towards the white-haired male with a scowl, she states, "Never judge someone by their looks and what you see they do, Niou Masaharu."

"Well, Emiko," Mami then appears beside Yagyuu with a grin. "I didn't think that you could defeat someone in tennis with 4 games!"

"I followed your advice, Mami," The blue-haired female wipes her sweat off. "Never hold back when you're facing an enemy on the courts."

"Who's next?" Niou quickly interrupts the two girls' conversation. Emiko growls at him; she never liked the trickster. Sneaky and is often personating other people, she knew best than to just be near him! Mami points towards a pink-haired, pig-tailed female walking in the courts, facing her opponent.

"Kudo Tori."

"She looks like an elementary school kid." In an instant, Emiko had jabbed the trickster with her racquet. "Don't try to say that about her if you're in front of me, Porcupine-Head!"

"I nearly forgot that you and Tori had been really close friends since elementary school, Emiko," Mami giggles. "No wonder you're overprotective of her."

"She's just that clueless on defending and standing up for herself," The blue-haired female shrugs her shoulders. "I'm in debts with you, Saito-san for being there for here."

"It's nothing actually."

"Please forgive me for interrupting but I was wondering about one thing though," Yagyuu asks politely. "Has Kudo-san ever played tennis before?"

"If you don't know, Yagyuu-kun," answered the blue-haired female. "Tori-chan's older brother, Hibiki-kun is an ex-regular before. He's her personal coach since elementary."

"Plus, Tori's father is a coach and her mother is an ex-swimmer." Mami continues, watching the pig-tailed female play skillfully. "The entire family is sport-oriented."

Although she appeared to be tiny and harmless, Tori had defeated her opponent with 3 games to 1.

-x-

Koyuki sighs silently as she watches the ball bouncing out of the box. For the past minutes, every girl whom had tried to have a match with Hayashi Nanase couldn't even serve right. It was no surprise to see the amount of girls dropping drastically. The brunette was just glad that she wasn't one of them; she was here with determination and a reason.

"Yukimura-kun," She heard the arrogant blue-eyed vice-captain asks. "Who's next?"

The captain's purple-colored eyes turn towards the group of girls not far from where he was standing, with Sanada following his actions. Most of them were taking a few steps back, while Koyuki merely stood there, as if being chosen to go one-on-one with the brutal vice-captain was no big deal. Tilting her head up and looking around, she realizes that she was in front of the scared group and casually shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't mind if you choose me." Several of whisperings of accuses suddenly rises amongst the girls.

"Great, if she gets in the team, she'll get closer to Yukimura."

"Yeah, that's her motive on getting on the team."

"First the teachers, then the two captains will give her more attentions to her."

"She's just attention-thirsty."

"I'm not going to let her dig her claws on Yukimura-kun."

"If you guys are so thirsty for his attentions that much," They stopped in an instant when the brunette suddenly spoke in an eerie yet calm tone without hesitation. Turning her auburn orbs towards her, they thought that she was like a beast, ready to pounce and devour them anytime. "Either one of you go one-on-one with me before I start the match with Hayashi-fukubuchou, or get off the courts because this isn't a gossiping café."

Somehow, Nanase suddenly felt amused at Mami's little sister's straightforwardness when talking. Yet, a huge part of her was nagging that the girl was an annoying person.

"Alright then," A girl, whose dark teal hair was tied up in pigtails came up. She was taller than Koyuki, but her height doesn't seem to affect the short brunette. "Since you want a match so much, how about going one-on-one with me then, Saito?"

Cue to a long, eerie silence amongst the two.

"...Do I know you?" Nearly everyone on the courts were falling and sweat-dropping at the question.

"For crying out loud, I'm your classmate, Tamura Hotaru!" the teal-haired female exclaims, an angry vein popping out on the back of her head. For awhile, Koyuki taps her racquet on her chin, trying to recall. A recollection of the female in front of her suddenly appears in her mind.

"Oh, I know you!" For a moment, Hotaru's angered expression quickly turns into a smug smirk. Most of the girls sweat-dropped and some of them even had their eye twitching in annoyance; Nanase was one of them.

"You're that girl whom I beat ten scores above in English!" Cue to another awkward moment of back-falls and sweat-drops.

"Whatever!" Koyuki merely snorts and laughs quietly when she took notice of the girl's expression that was mixed with angered, annoyed and embarrassment. "How about a one-on-one with me? I'd like to see what the captain's sister could do."

"Eh~, you sure you don't want me to hold back? I could break one of your 'claws' that you called 'nails' though." From the way her captain's sister speaks, Nanase knew that she was just fooling around, trying to anger her opponent. However, she didn't even laughed at it.

"What kind of player are you?"

"An All-Rounder, and no, I'm not a player; I'm still single and I never dated more than two boys at one time."

"ARGH! Just get on the courts, Saito!"

"I'm already on it, but if you're asking me to have a one-on-one match with you, you'll need the vice-captain's permission first." Koyuki immediately turns to the brunette vice-captain, whose bad mood had been cured and was trying her best to not laugh so hard.

"Nee, Hayashi-fukubuchou, she told me to get on the courts already but I am on it. Butaru wants me to have a one-on-one match with her."

"It's HO-TA-RU." (Buta = Pig. 8D)

"Whoretaru?" Despite that she never liked the girl, Nanase had allowed them to have their own Singles match. She needs a rest anyway. The teal-haired female quickly fumes towards the courts as the short brunette stifles a laugh.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" asked the brown-haired vice-captain as she walks over to her captain's sister.

"It's a little thing called 'physiology', Hayashi-fukubuchou." She swore that there was a mischievous glint in her brown orbs. Nanase knew that the Saito sisters lived near Niou's neighborhood and is close to him for years now, to the point the trickster was like a family member to them. She just got to remind herself to tell Mami that her sister had the influence from the Trickster.

"An All-Rounder, the captain's sister, and a friend of the Trickster who has no second thoughts on her dorky talks that could make her opponents to lose their focus," Nanase said, flopping on the nearest bench with a refreshing drink in her hand. "Somehow, I don't know why I suddenly acknowledge this side of her."

Within just minutes, the brown-haired second-year had beaten her arrogant classmate with 2 game. Hotaru was sweating like crazy and barely had won a single game while Koyuki merely sweat lesser than the taller girl. Even Nanase had her jaw dropped open, which is something quite rare for the calm vice-captain.

"Well, that wasn't too hard, was it?" The purple-eyed female looks up from the ground, still panting towards the shorter brunette. "I thought that you could push me to the limit, Butaru-san."

"It's HOTARU, you little prick!" The brunette avoids the tennis racquet that was swung towards her with ease. Staring hard and quietly at her opponent, she heaves a sigh. "Looks like you're defiantly not someone fitting enough to make for the team."

"Shut up! Who are you to judge me! You might be the captain's sister but you have no rights to judge me!"

"Yes, I am someone who has no rights to judge someone even if I'm Saito Mami's sister but," Slowly, her gentle-looking glint of her eyes turns stern in a flash. "I've had went through many pains and had more scars, physical and emotional, than you do. I know better than to just to use a tennis as a tool of violence and to let my emotions control my actions."

"Listen here you little attention-whore," Hotaru immediately grabs her jersey's collar, bringing the short girl to her eye level. "I don't care who you are, what you think of me or what you have to say about me! Just leave my businesses aside and have a rematch."

"I'm afraid that you won't be getting a rematch, Tamura," Nanase states, walking towards the two second-years with Yukimura, Sanada and Mami. "One, you've just assaulted a participant. Second, you've just had an attempt to assaulted her physically. Third, you lost a game and barely earn a point. You're out; pack up and head home."

"NO!"

"I'm going to say this once, Tamura," the sandy-haired female said. "Either you let the girl go and leave the court, or I will have to handle you myself."

Knowing that she heard rumors of those who went against Saito Mami had life-long regrets, Hotaru gave in. Letting the brunette go, she quickly marches out of the courts but not without throwing her racquet aside. Flashing her purple orbs towards the shorter second year whom had got up on her feet, she clenches her fists.

"We're not done, yet."

Koyuki merely watches as her classmate marches out of the court's area. Sighing, she knew that there was going to be trouble by next Monday.

"What are you sighing about?" Her sister asks, with her hands on her hips. "You're in."

"...What?"

"You're in; Welcome to the club, little sis."

Her day just couldn't get any better!

-x-

As the hours passed by, the try-outs ended without any casualties. Those whom had won most of the matches had gathered at one area of the court with the male regulars as their captains and vice-captains stood in front of the group.

"Before we head home," Yukimura said. "There are a few things that we'd like to tell everyone."

"First," Mami continues. "Congratulations to those who had managed to get into our tennis team, and saving it from..."

Before she could even continue, the captain turns towards her vice. Nanase merely shrugs her shoulders with a grin, that Mami gave one back.

"And saving it from being dissolved," continued the sandy-haired female. Laughter, squeals and shrieks of joy was heard as the boys exchanged words like 'Well done', 'Good job' and so. The blue-eyed captain couldn't resist but laughs and shakes her head at this.

"Second, our training will start by next week. So, since it's the weekend," The entire team hold their breaths. Oh no, if it's Rikkaidai, it would defiantly be weekend trainings. Not that they were complaining, but they had just worked their heads off to get in the team. They need their rests and relaxations during the weekends.

"How about a party at my place? Everyone's invited!" They immediately breaths out when Mami had stated that. Laughing, she asks, "What? Do you think I was going to give you guys trainings with extra, double triple weights and run around the courts for ten times and doubles it by ten if you're slowing down?"

"YES!"

"Well, I'm saving it for next week. We need extra training than normal because by next month, the Kanto Tournaments will be starting. We can't afford to lose again like last year. It's time we show that Rikkaidai is the true champion. So who's with me, girls?"

Nearly everyone on the girls team exclaims that they were in. Looking at their faces, Mami knew; with her new team that consists of Hayashi Nanase, Itou Yuuka, Mouri Suzume, Uesugi Amaya, Kudo Tori, Takenaka Emiko, Abe Rachel and of course her sister, Saito Koyuki, they were going to win. They're going to be the team that's going to hold that golden trophy, that was once theirs a long time ago, once again and become Japan's No. 1 girls tennis team. Nothing can stop them now.

* * *

><p>This chapter is pretty much boring, but hopefully the next one will be a lot more interesting to you guys! ^^;<p>

AND~! If you're wondering...yes, Yukimura will be sick in this story! HEE~! Have I ever told you guys that OCs aren't just my victim of sadistic thoughts but also canons? CB *beaten to pulp*

See you soon in the next chapter~!


End file.
